PAN DE GUAJAIBON 283 



With a last good-bye we reluctantly turned our 

 horses into the rose-apple thicket and then entered 

 the forest jungle. Soon a rumble of thunder 

 growled its warning from far away. The air 

 became moist and hot. Every leaf remained 

 motionless, and the oppressive stillness that fore- 

 bodes an approaching storm fell upon the forest. 

 Our horses plunged and slipped in the muddy 

 path, as they struggled up one ascent and wal- 

 lowed down another. They splashed into the 

 swollen streams that flowed through tunnels of 

 vegetation. The darkness of the forest grew deeper 

 and the air more suffocating. Perspiration, that 

 would not evaporate into an atmosphere already 

 surcharged with moisture, plastered our clothes 

 to our backs. A flash of lightning suddenly il- 

 luminated the forest with a vividness that fair- 

 ly blinded us and caused the horses to jump 

 with fright. With the resultant crash came 

 a downpour of rain that may be likened to 

 the breaking of a dam. We huddled together, 

 our horses dejectedly standing with lowered 

 heads. 



In about two hours we had passed through the 

 belt of heavy woods and emerged upon a partially 



